Mother Dairy Aims to Turn "Plastic Waste Neutral Company" By FY 2023-24

 

*    Recycled/Co-Processed 8,164 MT of Post-Consumer Used Plastic Waste from June 2018 Till March 2022~

 *     Aims to recycle over 7,000 MT of Post-Consumer Used Plastic Waste in the current fiscal.

*     Mother Dairy started the EPR journey in Maharashtra from June 2018 (100% EPR) and gradually implemented it on a pan India basis.

On the occasion of upcoming World Environment Day 2022, Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable Pvt. Ltd. (MDFVPL), country’s leading milk and milk products major, today reiterated its commitment towards a cleaner environment by pledging to become ‘Plastic Waste Neutral Company’ by FY2023-24, which means that the company will collect, recycle/co-process the same amount of plastic waste which is used in its product packaging in a year. In its endeavor to achieve this feat, the Company has also set its sight to recycle/co-process more than 7,000 MT of post-consumer used plastic waste by end of FY2022-23.

Mother Dairy began its plastic waste collection and recycling/co-processing initiative in Maharashtra in FY2018-19 under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program and scaled up the initiative on a pan-India level for Multi-Layered Plastic Waste (MLP) in FY2019-20, in line with the Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules 2018 as amended. The Company has been closely working with its suppliers and leading Waste Management Agencies (WMA) for implementation of the National EPR framework.

The Company, through its associated partners, has collected and co-processed/recycled around 8,164 MT of post-consumer used plastic waste (5,318 MT of Single Layered Plastic Waste and 2,846 MT of Multi-Layered Plastic Waste) from June 2018 till March 2022.

Elaborating on the initiative, Mr. Manish Bandlish, Managing Director, Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable Pvt. Ltd. said, “As a responsible organisation, we reaffirm our stand to a safer and cleaner environment for a better tomorrow. Testament to the fact is our Token Milk (branded loose milk) offering since 1984, which has been helping us to save approx. 7 lakh kgs of plastic coming into the environment every year. In line with our commitment, we have now set our sight towards being a plastic waste neutral organisation by FY2023-24, while contributing towards making our planet safe for the generations to come.”

The Company is also working towards reducing the consumption of plastic by way of offering alternatives to plastic straws used for the consumption of dairy beverages and will soon be available with paper-based straws across its markets of operations.

Mr. Bandlish further added, “Apart from plastics, we are also conscious of efficient usage of key natural resources by bringing them under our performance indicators. Over the years, Mother Dairy has taken varied measures for environment sustainability and conservation of natural resources through initiatives like water conservation, rainwater harvesting, and adoption of renewable energy sources.”

Other initiatives

-  Mother Dairy has been engaging and encouraging its consumers to opt for Token Milk (Automated Milk Vending system) available at the company’s booths in Delhi NCR and this effort has eliminated the generation of around 7 lakh kgs of plastic waste.

-  The Company has replaced all plastic spoons with wooden spoons and eliminated loose straws 3 years back.

The Company under the EPR program, in accordance with the Plastic Waste Management Rules, is already working in around 28 states with its presence, including key regions like Delhi NCR, Maharashtra and others.

About Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable Pvt. Ltd. (MDFVPL):

Mother Dairy was commissioned in 1974. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB). It was established under the initiative of ‘Operation Flood’, world's biggest dairy development program launched to make India a milk sufficient nation. Today, Mother Dairy is a leading dairy player which manufactures, markets & sells milk and milk products including cultured products, ice creams, paneer and ghee under the ‘Mother Dairy’ brand. The Company also has a diversified portfolio with products in edible oils under the ‘Dhara’ brand and fresh fruits & vegetables, frozen vegetables & snacks, unpolished pulses, pulps & concentrates, etc. under the ‘Safal’ brand. Mother Dairy through its brands has a national footprint across all major cities in India, offering a delectable range of products to its consumers.

PDS Limited- UK Subsidiary Poetic Brands Inks License Agreement for Forever 21

* Agreement includes manufacturing and distribution in UK and EU regions

PDS Limited (“the Company”, “PDS”) is a design-led sourcing, manufacturing & supply chain platform catering to leading brands and retailers globally with a presence in over 22 countries.

PDS’s UK- based subsidiary, Poetic Brands, has entered into a license agreement with the Authentic Brands Group (ABG) for the Forever 21 brand. As per the agreement, Poetic Brands has been granted the rights for the manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of  Forever 21 in the United Kingdom and European regions, including Germany, France, Spain, and Switzerland amongst others.

Poetic Brands will drive the growth of the brand across categories including womenswear, menswear, kids wear, athleisure, swimwear, and fashion accessories. Forever 21 brand will be distributed through leading full-price retailers and popular e-commerce platforms across UK and EU. Poetic Brands also has the opportunity to create Forever 21 shop-in-shops. With this acquisition, Poetic Brands which currently operates with a ?260cr ($35mn) topline will expand its licensed portfolio to include Forever 21.

Speaking on the announcement, Pallak Seth, Vice-Chairman, PDS Limited said, “We are delighted to work with a leading brand like Forever 21. The brand drives innovation across retail, providing designs, fabrications, and fits for customers at an affordable price. Through our relationship with Forever 21, we will deliver quality products and great style to consumers in the UK and Europe, while opening doors to bring on board the best in class partners in our supply chain.”

Sanjay Jain, Group CEO, PDS Limited added, “Forever 21 over the years has emerged as a much-loved brand that caters to discerning and price-sensitive audience. We are looking forward to building the Forever 21 brand while delivering superior products and services to consumers in the UK and EU. PDS is consciously evaluating its portfolio to expand value-added service and high-margin products and categories. This relationship provides the PDS platform a high growth, fast fashion category.”

In FY22, PDS consolidated revenues crossed US$1 billion. In line with the dividend distribution policy adopted in the financial year 2021, the Company declared a 238% dividend of ?23.85 per share, translating into a 25% EPS payout, subject to the approval of the shareholders.

About PDS Limited: (www.pdsmultinational.com)

PDS Limited (erstwhile PDS Multinational Fashions Limited) operates an integrated design-led platform offering product development, sourcing, virtual manufacturing, and distribution for major brands and retailers worldwide. The Company operates a vast global network covering 50 offices, 22 countries, and over 3,300 employees and 5,800 associates & factory workers worldwide.

The Company is listed on the BSE Ltd. (538730) and the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd (PDSL).

Govt of Tamil Nadu Inaugurates 200 + Public Wi-Fi Hotspots Powered By ACT Fibernet For Citizens of Chennai

* Hotspots deployed across Amma Canteens, Corporation Parks, T-Nagar Smart City, Triplicane, Royapettai, Napier Park/ May Day Park, Ratna Café junction

* 20 Mbps for all guest users for 45 mins at no cost

In its efforts towards accelerating the adoption of digital technologies the state, Government of Tamil Nadu today launched 224 public Wi-Fi hotspots in Chennai in collaboration with ACT Fibernet. The Wi-Fi hotspots were launched in the presence of Shri Udhayanidhi Stalin, Member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and Youth Secretary, DMK and Mr. Sandeep Gupta, Chief Operating Officer, Atria Convergence Technologies Ltd and other dignitaries, and officials.

Installation of Wi-Fi hotspots across the city is a great way to keep more people connected and give them access to the internet. This launch marks the beginning of the Tamil Nadu Govt.’s vision to establish a large-scale public wi-fi network for its citizens.

Each of the 224 Wi-Fi hotspots are powered by ACT SmartFiber™ Technology, that will ensure superfast and safe internet experiences. This technology enables users with smooth, seamless connectivity for video content, including calling, streaming, and ultra-fast file transfers on ACT’s Gigabit-enabled network at scale. With implementation of the SmartFiber™ technology, ACT Fibernet was also recognised by Ookla, as the fastest and most consistent wired broadband network in Chennai. A study by InMobi in April 2021 has concluded that ACT is the best broadband for streaming in Chennai.

Users will have to login through the ACT Free Wi-Fi portal with their phone number and OTP and use free internet for 45 mins at 20 Mbps speed and 1 GB data limit without any cost. These hotspots are located across the city in Amma Canteens, Corporation Parks, T-Nagar Smart City, Triplicane, Royapettai, Napier Park/ May Day Park and Ratna Café junction for easy access.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri. Udhayanidhi Stalin, Member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and Youth Secretary, DMK, said, “The Wi-Fi hotspots in Chennai are a step towards establishing the city as a Smart City. I am happy that a great number of people will now be able to enjoy free internet and make good use of it in public spaces. ACT Fibernet has been a trusted industry partner for many years, and I thank them for their support to set-up this Wi-Fi project.”

Mr. Bala Malladi, CEO Atria Convergence Technologies (ACT), said, “ACT Fibernet has always believed in using the internet as a force for good - to help people transform their lives. The free public Wi-Fi will assist in bridging the digital divide, whether for students, professionals, or the general public. It is an honour to be a part of the Government of Tamil Nadu’s prestigious project contribute to the development of Chennai and its citizens.”

Internet penetration is expected to reach new heights in the next few years, due to the government's constant push to achieve a 'Digital India' and making internet affordable for all. Since 2000, ACT Fibernet has been a driving force behind the development of fibre broadband internet in India. It is largest Non-Telco ISP in the country, today.

About ACT Fibernet

ACT Fibernet is one of largest wired ISPs (Internet Service Provider) in India. Headquartered in Bangalore it has operations in 19 cities with 1.8 million customers. ACT Fibernet is known for its cutting-edge technology and high-speed broadband connectivity that the company provides to its customers. In 2019, ACT Fibernet forayed in the consumer category with the launch of its product ACT stream TV 4K. ACT Fibernet was the first broadband service provider to bring 1 Giga speed connectivity in India to the city of Hyderabad in 2017, followed by Bengaluru and Chennai in 2018. ACT Fibernet has been recognized as India’s most Consistent Broadband Network in 2020 by Ookla, Best Brands 2020 in the broadband category by The Economic Times, Best Broadband for Streaming in Hyderabad and Chennai as per research conducted by InMobi in Sept 2020, and No.1 Broadband for Gaming according to The Times of India Report, 2020.

www.actcorp.in

A Manimekhalai Assumes Charge As “Managing Director & CEO of Union Bank of India”

Ms. A. Manimekhalai assumed charge as Managing Director & CEO of Union Bank of India. A seasoned banker with experience of more than 3 decades, Ms. A. Manimekhalai started her career in erstwhile Vijaya Bank as an Officer in 1988 and rose successively as Branch Head, Regional Head, and functional head of various Departments at Corporate Office. She was instrumental in devising & implementation of strategic policies covering core areas like strategic planning, setting organizational goals, growth strategies, action plans, compliance, internal control, etc.  

Before joining as MD & CEO at Union Bank of India, Ms. A Manimekhalai was Executive Director at Canara Bank, wherein she oversaw strategic planning, credit & related matters, inspection, marketing and financial inclusion, State Level Lead Bank responsibilities and the functioning of Regional Rural Banks. She played a pivotal role in effecting successful amalgamation of Canara Bank and Syndicate Bank. She has extensive experience as Director on the Board of five other companies namely Canbank Factors Ltd, Canbank Computer Services Ltd, Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Co. Ltd., General Insurance Corporation of India, India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd. and Trustee, Canara Robeco Asset Management Co. 

A member of various committees and working groups constituted by Government of India, she has actively contributed towards policymaking, including drawing the future road map of RRBs, Financial Inclusion, Agriculture Value-chain Finance, Banking Correspondent issues and creating synergies for seamless credit flow to Health Care and Education. 

Ms. Manimekhalai holds Master of Business Administration (Marketing) from Bangalore University, and a Diploma in Human Resource Management from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Mumbai. A beneficiary of various executive development programs at leading institutes of country, she is also a Certified Associate of Indian Institute of Bankers (CAIIB).  

HCL Foundation Supports NIMHANS Set Up A Next-Gen Centralized Cloud-Based Patient Monitoring System In Bengaluru

HCL Foundation (HCLF), the CSR (corporate social responsibility) arm of HCL Technologies (HCL), inaugurated a next-generation centralized patient monitoring system at the National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences (NIMHANS) to enable robust clinical surveillance and patient monitoring. The cloud-based solution will monitor patients' vital signs in real-time, simultaneously integrating with electronic patient records and medical devices, thereby facilitating remote review of patient status. 

The advanced centralized monitoring system, housed at the NIMHANS Day Care Center at Bengaluru, has been inaugurated by Mrs. Roli Singh, IAS, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, in the esteemed presence of Dr. Pratima Murthy, Director, NIMHANS, Mr. Durga Prasad Kancherla, Vice President, HCL Technologies, and Dr. Laligam N. Sekhar, Professor and Vice-Chairman, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Washington, the USA at the event. 

The accelerated adoption of telemedicine and digital technologies in healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the landscape. Technology advancement through a next-generation centralized patient monitoring system with diverse system component options adds immense value to clinical care at NIMHANS. It streamlines workflow for the clinical staff, especially in the busy sections of the hospital where large numbers of patients await treatment at the same time.   

Keeping up with the latest innovations, NIMHANS has implemented various measures, including a productive telemedicine system, to amplify its patient care services with support from HCLF. With a shared vision of empowering healthcare and wellness, both organizations joined hands to set up a robust telemedicine platform to deliver healthcare to patients in their homes and reduce pressure on clinicians by allowing virtual consultations for follow-ups for patients coming from afar for treatment. 

HCL Foundation works closely with NIMHANS to provide technology-enabled healthcare services to the urban masses. Before the advanced patient monitoring system, HCL Foundation donated a portable DR X-ray unit and an advanced lifesaving ambulance to NIMHANS.  

HCL Foundation (HCLF) was established in 2011 as the CSR arm of HCL Technologies. It is a not-for-profit organization that strives to contribute toward national and international development goals, bringing about a lasting positive impact on people's lives through long-term sustainable programs. The foundation aims to alleviate poverty and achieve inclusive growth and development. Active community engagement ensures optimal long-term gains and upward accountability. HCL Foundation works through Life Cycle Based, Integrated Community Development Approach with a thematic focus on Education, Health, Skill Development & Livelihood, Environment, and Disaster Risk Reduction & Response. Child protective strategies, inclusion, and gender transformative approaches remain central in all initiatives of the HCL Foundation, thus ensuring comprehensive development. Presently HCL Foundation is implementing five flagship programs, namely HCL Samuday & HCL Grant – Rural Development programs; HCL Uday & Clean Noida – Urban Development programs; HCL Harit (The Green Initiative) - Environment Action program and four special initiatives - Power of One, Sports for Change, HCL Foundation Academy and My E-Haat.  

Quote of Ms. Nidhi Pundhir, Director, HCL Foundation 

“HCL Foundation has always been active and ready to support and address the challenges of affordable and effective healthcare with technology integration through these initiatives. We welcome the opportunity to implement a next-generation surveillance system for robust and real-time patient monitoring system at a reputed institution such as NIMHANS. HCLF is happy to support their vision of modern healthcare, reducing pressure on clinicians by enabling dynamic monitoring of patient status through cloud-based intelligent systems.” 

40 International Investors, Entrepreneurs Participated In India’s First-Ever Global Conference On – ‘India Global Innovation Connect’

* N.R. Narayana Murthy, Founder Infosys stated that this is the best time to be an entrepreneur in India – in India’s First-Ever Global Conference on Startups – ‘India Global Innovation Connect’ @ Bengaluru

* More than 80 speakers from India, Singapore, Israel, Switzerland, the US, Japan, Korea, and Germany actively participated in the conference

* Over 350+ participants from leading companies, startups, and institutions attended the event

India’s first ever global conference on Startups - India Global Innovation Connect (IGIC) 2022 organized by Smadja & Smadja, a Switzerland-based strategic advisory firm, in strategic partnership with Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), wrapped up on a high note with a strong commitment to bolster the start-up ecosystem in Karnataka through seamless support on policy, infrastructure and other required considerations.

The event was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka Shri. Basavaraj Bommai on 2nd June 2022 along with Shri B V Naidu, Chairman, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission, Claude Smadja, President, Smadja & Smadja, and more such industry stalwarts. The event also witnessed investors, private equity firms, and entrepreneurs from Singapore, Israel, Switzerland, the US, Japan, Korea, and Germany.

Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka Shri. Basavaraj Bommai highlighted that Karnataka is the State as the leader in action for startups, and Bengaluru is home to 400 of the Fortune-500 companies. He also outlined that the state was the first to introduce a startup policy and the only competition for Karnataka is Silicon Valley in the US.

Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), involved as the strategic partner organization for IGIC, has played an integral role in the program by contributing to heightening the profile of Karnataka as a thriving, dynamic centre for technology innovation and entrepreneurship, both in India and at a global level.

With over 80 speakers from India and other countries the India Global Innovation Connect received more than 350+ participations. Apart from sessions on technological partnerships and ideas on E-mobility, Greentech, discussions on fintech, deep tech, Edtech, and Web 3.0 also drove a great engagement. The event further identified and assessed medium and long-term technology and business trends along with new opportunities for start-ups and corporates while acting as a platform for dialogue between technology innovators and business end-users.

Speaking on the association, Shri B V Naidu, Chairman, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission, said, “Since its inception, KDEM has worked relentlessly to establish Karnataka as a global hub for innovation and technology. We focus to build a bridge between policymakers and the industry to create a robust platform for start-ups that can contribute to the nation’s development and digital economy. The India Global Innovation Connect (IGIC) is the next step in our vision to expand our horizons for a resilient entrepreneurship and innovation movement in Karnataka”.

Some of the key notable attendees and speakers included Dr. E V Ramana Reddy, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Electronics, IT & BT, Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka, N.R. Narayana Murthy, Founder Infosys Limited, Founder & Chairman, Catamaran Venture, India; Mr. Ranganath M D, President, Catamaran Ventures, Prashanth Prakash, Accel Partners, India, and Hari Menon, Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer, Big Basket, India, and Mr. Harshil Mathur, CEO & Co-founder, Razorpay.

During one of the sessions, N.R. Narayana Murthy, Founder Infosys Limited, Founder & Chairman, Catamaran Venture, India appreciated the efforts by Indians from the Silicon Valley in the global scenario for easing the friction to access Indian Ideas. He said – “this is the best time to be an entrepreneur in India”.

The panelists in 22 sessions focused on technological partnerships, ideas on Greentech, Fintech, Deeptech, Edtech, Web 3.0, Super Apps, and Unicorn Growth stories and partnerships. The India Global Innovation Connect has etched its mark on the global map as a successful platform to build a network between the government and industry, thereby strengthening the position of Karnataka in the nation’s welfare and global start-up and innovation ecosystem. 

About Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM)

Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) is designed to function as the knowledge bridge between the Government of Karnataka and industry to accelerate the growth and investments of the IT, BT, and S&T sectors in Karnataka. With Industries in the driving seat, KDEM is working to harness the unlimited potential of the digital economy of Karnataka by expanding the growth to emerging clusters Beyond Bengaluru and thereby transforming the lives of the people in the state. The IT ecosystem not only uplifts the lives of professionals in the industry but, also powers millions of other ancillary jobs across other industries thus contributing to the overall economy of the Country.

About Smadja & Smadja

Smadja & Smadja Strategic Advisory (S&S) was established in 2001 in Switzerland and the US. It works with international companies, individual investors, and government entities on global trends and strategic issues. The Firm's mission is to help its clients navigate and leverage globalization and the technology and entrepreneurial revolution, providing them with actionable insights and a "world view" to help identify new opportunities and risks, and manage the increasing volatility and complexity of a globalized world. The firm creates platforms of content – from strategic, closed doors, seminars to high-profile international conferences. Smadja & Smadja has activities, clients, and partners in Asia, North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.

Jacob's Creek Introduces UNVINED, Pernod Ricard India Forays Into The Non-Alcoholic Wine Category

Today, leading Australian wine brand, Jacob’s Creek announced the launch of Unvined, a non-alcoholic wine with less than 0.5% alcohol, available in two varietals - Riesling and Shiraz.  Unvined, a modern expression of winemaking, is the perfect answer to occasions when one wants to enjoy a glass of wine without the alcohol content yet retaining the true character of the original styles and flavors.  

The winemakers at Jacob’s Creek use sophisticated technology which removes alcohol whilst capturing most of the original aromas and flavours of the wine. The Unvined range has 50% less calories than regular wine of the same varietal, catering to the evolved consumer base looking for varied options to suit their preferences and mood. With the introduction of these two new varietals under non-alcoholic wine category, Jacob’s Creek truly delivers on a coveted portfolio of wines that everyone around the table will want to reach for.

Kartik Mohindra, Chief Marketing Officer, Pernod Ricard India, said: “Non-alcoholic wine may sound counterintuitive and something out of the ordinary, however sometimes it’s exactly what the evening calls for. The idea behind creation of Unvined was to ensure that everyone is able to celebrate important life moments with their friends and family in a way that fits with their lifestyle. Given Jacob’s Creek’s vast expertise in winemaking, we have created a product that has a perfect balance of taste while preserving the natural grape profile. We are proud to release Unvined in India. It is an exceptional product with less than 0.5% alcohol and a faithful expression of premium wines from Australia”.

Unvined Riesling offers attractive citrus, lime and floral notes that are typical of Australian Riesling. The light bodied palate of the non-alcoholic wine with refreshing fruit notes is balanced by a crisp acidity on the finish. While Unvined Shiraz has appealing plum, blackberry and spice notes distinctive to a South Australian Shiraz. Its medium bodied palate delivers sweet fruit and light toasty oak flavour supported by soft ripe tannins. Unvined can be readily enjoyed with a wide selection of foods.  For the Riesling white meat, seafood dishes and salads make for a perfect companion. For the Shiraz, lighter style curries go perfectly well.

Unvined Riesling and Shiraz are available in select retail outlets in Delhi and Mumbai and pan-India through Amazon India at INR 900/-.

About Jacob’s Creek

Jacob’s Creek™ is one of Australia’s leading global wine brands, offering quality wines with great varietal expression. The brand was first launched in 1976 and is named after the place where Johann Gramp planted his first vines on the banks of Jacob’s Creek in 1847. In doing so, Johann founded the Barossa Valley’s first commercial vineyard, the Gramp & Sons business and a history of winemaking innovation that dates back almost 175 years.

The wines are crafted with great care, with consumers tastes at the forefront of the winemakers’ mind. Having earned over 8,800 medals at wine shows across the brand’s portfolio over 40 years, Jacob’s Creek wines are trusted by consumers for their genuine quality.

“Government Will Go Any Miles To Support Startups.”, Basavaraj Bommai, CM Karnataka At India Global Innovation Connect

* Bengaluru witnesses first global conference on Startups

* More than 40 international investors, entrepreneurs, and innovators interact with the Indian startup community

The Chief Minister of Karnataka Shri. Basavaraj Bommai today inaugurated India’s first global conference on Startups, India Global Innovation Connect, organized by Smadja & Smadja, a Switzerland-based strategic advisory firm, in a strategic partnership with Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), Catamaran Ventures, and Tata Digital.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Bommai said Karnataka is at the forefront of startup innovation. Bengaluru is home to 400 of the Fortune 500 companies and no other country in the world has as many such companies. “Startup is not new to Karnataka and Karnataka is the top destination for startups and not one of the top states,” he said.

He further added, "The Karnataka government will go any miles in supporting startups. We are not worried about the competition. It keeps us going and growing. We convert the competition into acceleration," he said during his conversation with Claude Smadja, President of Smadja & Smadja advisory after inaugurating the two-day international conference India Global Innovation Connect here on Thursday.

Stating that Karnataka is the first state in the country to introduce a startup policy, he said, the seeds of startup revolution were sowed by the Maharaja of Mysore who supported industrialization, banking and innovation much before the country attained independence.

The inauguration was also attended by a galaxy of international investors, private equity firms, entrepreneurs and innovators from Singapore, Israel, Switzerland, the US, Japan, Korea and Germany. Some of the key attendees included Mr. B V Naidu, Chairman, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission; Mr. Ranganath M D, President, Catamaran Ventures and Prashanth Prakash, Accel Partners, India and Hari Menon, Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer, Big Basket, India.

Declaring the conference open, Claude Smadja, President, Smadja & Smadja, said, “India has always been a land of great entrepreneurial promise for me. As the 4th Industrial evolution has begun, it is pertinent to acknowledge that India will play the role of a catalyst especially with its ability to innovate solutions for itself and the world. India now has the world's third-largest start-up ecosystem. As a result, the India Global Innovation Connect highlights the potential of how India's start-up and innovation story is becoming global. Its emergence as the new Silicon Valley of the world will lead to a greater, safer, and stronger tomorrow.”

Over 100 speakers from India and countries like Singapore, Israel, Switzerland, the US, Japan, Korea and Germany are participating at the 2-day conference at the Hotel Conrad, Bengaluru. The panelists in 22 sessions will focus on technological partnerships, ideas on Greentech, Fintech, Deeptech, Edtech, Web 3.0, Super Apps, and Unicorn Growth stories and partnerships.

About Smadja & Smadja

Smadja & Smadja Strategic Advisory (S&S) was established in 2001 in Switzerland and the US. It works with international companies, individual investors, and government entities on global trends and strategic issues. The Firm's mission is to help its clients navigate and leverage globalization and the technology and entrepreneurial revolution, providing them with actionable insights and a "world view" to help identify new opportunities and risks, and manage the increasing volatility and complexity of a globalized world. The firm creates platforms of content – from strategic, closed doors, seminars to high-profile international conferences. Smadja & Smadja has activities, clients, and partners in Asia, North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.

About Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM)

Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) is designed to function as the knowledge bridge between the Government of Karnataka and industry to accelerate the growth and investments of the IT, BT, and S&T sectors in Karnataka. With Industries in the driving seat, KDEM is working to harness the unlimited potential of the digital economy of Karnataka by expanding the growth to emerging clusters Beyond Bengaluru and thereby transforming the lives of the people in the state. The IT ecosystem not only uplifts the lives of professionals in the industry but, also powers millions of other ancillary jobs across other industries thus contributing to the overall economy of the country.

REHAU India Collaborates With TITUS Group To Launch Hardware Solutions For Indian Market

* The strategic partnership will strengthen REHAU’s product portfolio in India

REHAU, the global leader in manufacturing polymer-based solutions, has announced collaboration with global brand TITUS today at INDIAWOOD 2022. The company's expansion into hardware is a strategic move to provide a complete solution for its B2B partners while also entering into the B2C market. India is expected to have significant expansion in real estate, particularly in the luxury segment, resulting in a desire for higher-quality, aesthetically modern furniture with long-lasting and reliable hardware components. Consumers in India are willing to invest in premium furniture components, making this a favourable opportunity for REHAU & TITUS to introduce new hardware solutions into the Indian market.

The partnership will witness the joining of two businesses that believe in being close to their customers while providing them with cutting-edge engineered products. REHAU and TITUS will engage to deliver an exclusive selection of hardware products to customers and manufacturers in India, including Hinges, Drawer Systems, Connecting Fittings, and Damping Solutions.

On this momentous occasion, Ms. Bhavana Bindra, MD, REHAU South Asia said, “The partnership between REHAU & TITUS is going to offer a premium hardware solution to the Indian market. It is a strategic partnership for REHAU where we see a tremendous market for high-quality hardware in India, and our partnership with TITUS is an excellent example of capitalizing on the opportunity.  Hardware has long been an overlooked category in the furniture industry, and we hope to raise its profile in the Indian market through our collaboration. Premium hardware adds years to the life of a product while also improving the aesthetic value of a space. We are glad to collaborate with TITUS group as we share the same philosophy of providing excellent, innovative products to our consumers. I'm delighted, and I'm looking forward to a synergistic relationship in which we can build on each other's strengths."

By remaining focused on the growing importance of quality and efficiency, REHAU & TITUS, constantly innovate to offer best solutions for a sustainable future.  REHAU has a well-established network base in India with more than 1000 direct customers and upto 2500 retailers, REHAU has exceeded expectations with an enormous client base in India. REHAU is looking forward to reaching every nook and corner of the country, owing to its robust network base.

Mr. Marko Korelc, Regional Sales Director, TITUS Group said, “I am happy to announce the partnership of REHAU and TITUS. REHAU having a widespread network base and a vast product portfolio in India, inevitably, became the first choice for us to collaborate in India. We have been providing premium hardware solutions around the world for decades and now it's time for India to witness the world-class component ranges. Hardware is a growing sector in India and through this partnership we are looking forward to expand our market outreach.``

Apart from announcing the biggest collaboration, REHAU is also showcasing its portfolio for the whole furniture industry under one roof at INDIAWOOD 2022, within a sprawling area of 390sqm. The exhibition is scheduled during 2–6 June 2022 at Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) and REHAU is exhibiting in Hall-H2A, Stall-B202, C302.  Various experience zones have been set up as part of the exhibition booth, showcasing a wide range of products. The displayed products vary from uPVC edgebands, laminates, solid surfaces, roller shutter system, and plinth system to adhesives, masking tapes and many more. REHAU is also displaying its recently launched modular kitchen at the exhibition. 

Micron Ventures Fund II Commits $200M For Deep Tech Startups

* Latest investments build on success of Micron Ventures Fund I and brings total assets under management to $300M

Micron Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: MU), today announced that its venture capital team, Micron Ventures, will be investing $200M in deep tech startups with its Fund II. Micron’s Fund II builds on the success of the initial AI-focused Fund I by targeting broader deep tech innovations. Additionally, to reflect Micron’s commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, 20% of invested capital in the new Fund II will be aimed at startups led by women and other underrepresented groups.

Since its inception, Micron Ventures has made investments in 25 startups, yielding strong financial returns and multiple unicorn companies within the portfolio. Micron Ventures has accelerated broad technology innovation including in AI-assisted manufacturing, edge security and autonomous vehicle development. Furthermore, 25% of the invested capital in Fund I has gone to startups led by underrepresented groups, surpassing Micron’s initial 20% target. Micron Ventures has also invested in companies innovating to bring new green technologies to market that have the potential to further accelerate Micron’s progress against its sustainability initiatives.

“Investing in startups provides Micron with a deeper perspective on technology innovations and a view of disruptive ideas on the horizon,” said Rene Hartner, vice president of corporate development at Micron. “The future will be built on diverse ideas that aim to address the world’s most urgent problems – funding the deep tech startup community will propel innovation forward and help open doors to new business opportunities for Micron.”

Micron also partners with innovators to offer support and infrastructure to accelerate their success in the market. In addition to expected future financial returns, Micron has already gained multiple strategic benefits such as accelerating the adoption of AI technologies to reduce manufacturing costs, advancing our global go-to-market capabilities with Cloud Service Providers and further strengthening our relationships within the global automotive value chain.

“Micron has provided direct support in executing Multiscale’s vision to optimize the materials discovery and manufacturing processes,” said Vasu Kalidindi, co-founder and chief executive officer of Multiscale. “Collaboration with Micron enabled us to create an advanced platform for materials innovation. By utilizing actual Micron use cases, we were able to fail fast and course correct or quickly identify strategies that worked, all of which helped to accelerate the learning process.”

“Micron has been tremendously supportive of the company during the ups and downs of our journey, including the turbulence caused by the pandemic,” said Jonathan Ng, founder and chief executive officer of Iterative Scopes. “Fund II is an affirmation that Micron is a fantastic long- term partner for companies like us who are focused on building breakthrough innovations in our respective fields.”

Early-stage equity investments are a key component to Micron’s innovation strategy and not only provide key market and ecosystem insights, but also support the company’s mission to drive equity, sustainability and better outcomes for all. Startup founders and leaders with a strong vision and who are looking to challenge the status quo through science and technology, can learn more about Micron Ventures here.

About Micron Technology, Inc.

We are an industry leader in innovative memory and storage solutions transforming how the world uses information to enrich life for all. With a relentless focus on our customers, technology leadership, and manufacturing and operational excellence, Micron delivers a rich portfolio of high-performance DRAM, NAND and NOR memory and storage products through our Micron® and Crucial® brands. Every day, the innovations that our people create fuel the data economy, enabling advances in artificial intelligence and 5G applications that unleash opportunities — from the data center to the intelligent edge and across the client and mobile user experience. To learn more about Micron Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: MU), visit micron.com.

Over 5000 Ophthalmologists To Take Pledge To Reduce Preventable Blindness To 50% By 2025

The 80th Annual Conference of the All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS), with nearly 24,000 member ophthalmologists, a society with a view to render service to the community through their profession, announced a landmark pledge to reduce preventable blindness in India to 50% by 2025. The cases of preventable blindness occur due to cataract, diabetic eye disease, vitamin A deficiency and trauma related blindness. India has the world’s largest population of the blind, it is estimated that the country has 12 million preventable blindness cases, who will become partially or fully blind, if not treated in time.

Dr. Lalit Verma, President (2022-23), AIOS, elaborated on the theme of the 80th Annual Conference of AIOS and said, “Preventable blindness must be addressed with a strong commitment as it impacts individuals’ quality of life directly and dramatically. It also impacts individual economic activity and consequently impacts the productive output of the entire country. Cataract in the aging can be solved with relative ease and timely eye examinations can help cure diabetic eye disease. Eye diseases due to vitamin A deficiency are also quite simple to solve. Our pledge to reduce preventable blindness to 50% by 2025 is going to be a national initiative with the active involvement of our members.”

Dr. Barun Kumar Nayak, President (2021-22), AIOS, added, “India has about one ophthalmologist for every 60,000 of our population, which puts a very heavy onus on our profession to take care of the population’s eye diseases. Ophthalmologists in India are among the best trained in the world and have been striving untiringly to put their profession to the best use of the citizens of India. We want government to encourage public-private partnerships in this endeavour to bring down preventable blindness. CSR funds of corporate must be allowed to be deployed for this very important social cause.”

Padmashree Dr. T.P. Lahane, Organizing Chairman, AIOC 2022, explained the process and averred, “The 80th Annual Conference of AIOS is a landmark occasion, undoubtedly the longest series of conferences by any medical association or society. In Maharashtra, we have successfully implemented programs for reducing preventable blindness by holding hundreds of eye camps held over the last three decades. We also create awareness on how to avoid injury to the eyes, each year we have been able to help over 7,00,000 people to come from darkness to light with the help of the government and NGOs. If we adopt the Maharashtra Model nationally, we will be able to bring down preventable blindness across the country significantly.”

Dr. Namrata Sharma, Honorary Secretary, AIOS, spoke on further expectations from the government, “Government must ban selling ‘chuna’ to children, as its mishandling can cause eye injuries even leading to blindness. Another major cause of blindness is in factories, and a compulsory inspection of workplaces is needed to see that protective eye wear is made available to every worker in situations where eye injuries are possible and to ensure safety standards are fully followed. Government led advertisement campaigns are needed urging diabetics to seek eye check-ups so that there is mass public awareness.”

Colliers Strengthens Its Capital Markets & Investment Services Capability

* Anant Bir Singh to lead Bengaluru Land and Capital Markets business 

Leading diversified professional services and investment management firm Colliers (NASDAQ and TSX: CIGI) today announced the appointment of Anant Bir Singh as Senior Director & Head for its Capital Markets & Investment Services (CMIS) team based in Bengaluru, effective immediately. 

With a demonstrated leadership and excellent track record, Singh joins Colliers from Adarsh Developers, where he served as the Vice President (Business Development) & Head (Commercial). Before this, he was part of Century Developers and JLL, where he held various roles and responsibilities for over 11 years. This is Singh’s second stint with Colliers, as he comes back to Colliers to accelerate his career with the firm.

An industry veteran with more than 18 years of real estate industry experience, Singh has worked extensively on various aspects of real estate investment management, strategy, and asset lifecycle analysis. As a well-known name in the industry, Singh is adept at managing significant investment and divestment processes for assets, lands, and funds and has led several high-value transactions to drive exceptional results for his clients.

Piyush Gupta, Managing Director, Capital Markets & Investment Services, Colliers India, added: “At Colliers, we continue to add industry leading talent to drive success of our clients and the organisation. We are delighted to get Anant on board and with his diversifeid experience across managing real estate investments, advising clients on capital, growth and assets, he would drive the Bengaluru land and Capital Markets business and endeavour to take it to higher levels.”

Singh will be responsible for growing Colliers’ CMIS capabilities and identifying investment opportunities in the region. In this capacity, he will leverage his industry experience to expand relationships with clients further while collaborating with experts across the country to acquire new business opportunities.

Anant Bir Singh added, “Colliers is one of the leading international organisations in the field, and it's an absolute privilege for me to join the team of renowned experts. In the current challenging environment, we would endeavor to expand and enhance client relationships by providing strategic solutions embodying a complete understanding of the ecosystem”. 

Ramesh Nair, CEO, India & Managing Director, Market Development, Asia, Colliers said: "I am very happy to welcome Anant to the Colliers team. Colliers has entered a new phase of growth, enabling us to service a broader range of clients and offer diverse and customized solutions. We are building scale, and with the addition of exceptional talent at all levels, we are strengthening our capabilities and commitment to maximize the potential of our client's property."

Repose Mattress Launches The SmartGRID Range Of Mattresses

·      Repose Mattress Pvt Ltd is one of India’s fast growing mattress manufacturers

·      They have a network of 1,500 dealers in India

·      Prabhu Deva has been signed on as their brand ambassador

·      They are launching 2 variants of SmartGRID, a latest mattress product with Japanese patented technology

·      Repose plans to increase their turnover to Rs. 200 cr this financial year, from Rs. 100 cr.

Established in November 2012 with factories in Coimbatore, Pune and Meerut, Repose Mattress Pvt. Ltd. is one of the country’s fastest growing mattress manufacturers. With 400 employees and a network of 1,500 dealers across their sales regions in India, Repose had a turnover of Rs. 103 crores in the last financial year.

Having begun with the manufacture of spring mattresses, Repose have added coir and foam mattresses to their offerings. Known for their innovations in the mattress space, many of their specialist products target niche markets.  

“We have signed up Prabhu Deva, the dance superstar, as our brand ambassador. He has a fan following across the country and Repose aims to use his stature to help us become a national mattress brand. We have  recently launched a series of promotions featuring him on TV and streaming platforms,” said Mr. Ramanath Bhat, COO, Repose Mattress.

In keeping with their innovative offerings and in line with their brand philosophy of Wake up to Fresh Ideas,  and in order to increase market share, Repose is now launching the latest in their line of mattresses – the SmartGRID mattress.

“The SmartGRID mattress is based on technology that has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO). It is made up of hyper-elastic polymers using cutting edge technology in the fields of material science and sleep science. It is the biggest disruptor in the Comfort Technology space,” said Mr. Balaji V, CMO, Repose Mattress

 Benefits of SmartGRID technology:

o  The mattress is soft exactly where the body needs it -  the shoulders and hips area – and firm where the body needs stronger support – in the back area.

o  There are 2,500+ air channels which results in a temperature neutral grid design that keeps the mattress cooler.

o  SmartGRID provides instant support to bodily movements resulting in reducing tossing and turning and an undisturbed sleep.

o  The mattress is durable and doesn’t sag over time and stays in its natural form for a long  time

The SmartGRID Product Range

Two variants are currently being launched:

1. Pockeded Spring with Grid Mattress

2. Foam with Grid Mattress

Repose Mattress have an extensive range of mattresses apart from the SmartGRID product and will be expanding into other areas of the country in the immediate future.

“Currently catering primarily to the south Indian market, Repose is expanding into new territories in North India. We aim to have a presence in Delhi, Punjab and Haryana and add 200 more dealers in the process. We are, now, actively considering establishing another factory in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Our objective for this financial year is to have our turnover increase to Rs. 200 crores,” said Mr.Ravi Pandith, VP – Sales & Business Development, Repose Mattress.

Indian Digital Payment Industry Projected To Reach $10 Trillion By 2026: PhonePe Pulse And BCG Release Report On Digital Payments

Highlights of the report:

* Digital Payments Industry To More Than Triple From US$3 tMillion To US$10 Trillion By 2026

* Non-cash payments will constitute nearly 65% of all payments by 2026, up from 40% today

* UPI adoption will surge from 35% in FY 21 to 75% in the next five years

* 7x digital merchant payments’ growth from US$0.3-0.4 trillion today to US$2.5-2.7 trillion by 2026

PhonePe, India’s leading digital payments company, in collaboration with Boston Consulting Group (BCG) today unveiled a report titled, “Digital payments in India: A $10 trillion opportunity”. The report leverages BCG’s industry expertise in payments and the fintech domain, along with PhonePe’s deep insights and expertise as the market leader in Indian digital payments and its extensive Pulse database to look at top digital payments trends in India.

India’s digital payments landscape has witnessed phenomenal growth over the past five years. As per the report, India’s digital payments market is at an inflection point and is expected to more than triple from the current US$3 trillion to US$10 trillion by 2026 (excluding large B2B/ G2B payments). As a result of this unprecedented growth, digital payments (non-cash) will constitute 2 out of 3 payment transactions by 2026 with contributions from across India.

The report also talks about how the digital payments ecosystem has been positively disrupted by the entry of multiple new players with diverse offerings driving payments at scale, and niche players offering financial services such as credit, wealth management and insurance.  Leading global and Indian Fintech players have been key drivers of UPI adoption in India among end users, aided by merchants with user-friendly transaction interfaces, and innovative offerings, supported by an open API ecosystem.

The report goes on to list the levers for the growth of digital payments in India which include - simplified customer onboarding, continued push for consumer awareness, merchants getting greater access to credit, expanding merchant acceptance, infrastructure upgrades and the setting up of a financial services marketplace driving growth in underpenetrated regions. It also talks about how IoT, 5G & CBDC will provide further impetus to growth.

Commenting on the launch, Karthik Raghupathy, Head of Strategy, and Investor Relations, PhonePe, said, ‘’We are excited to partner with BCG to release Digital payments in India: A $10 trillion opportunity. The report is an in-depth commentary on the growth of digital payments in India and looks at factors and enablers that will help unlock the massive growth potential going forward. This report is part of the PhonePe Pulse initiative, which was launched last year, in our effort to give back to the Fintech ecosystem. PhonePe Pulse has been very well received by all the key stakeholders in the ecosystem and has emerged as India’s go to destination for insights and trends on digital payment in the country.

Karthik further added, “‘As India’s largest Fintech platform we have seen the growth of UPI over the last few years. UPI has supercharged India’s transition to non-cash payments when it comes to both person-to-person (P2P) and person-to-merchant (P2M) transactions. Not surprisingly, UPI saw about 9x transaction volume increase in past 3 years, increasing from 5 billion transactions in FY19 to about 46 billion transactions in FY22: accounting for more than 60% non-cash transaction volumes in FY22. This indicates that digital payment has truly gained ubiquitous acceptance across the country. While Tier 1-2 cities have witnessed high acceptance of digital payments, penetration in Tier 3-6 cities shows headroom for growth. The next wave of growth will now come from Tier 3-6 locations, as evidenced in the past two years wherein Tier 3-6 cities have contributed to nearly 60-70% of new customers for PhonePe.”

Prateek Roongta, Managing Director & Partner, Boston Consulting Group said, “India is set to become a digital payment economy as source of payments invert with 65% transactions being done digitally by 2026, as opposed to 40% transactions today. Merchant payments will emerge as the most powerful driver of this growth, especially in the offline segment due to growing QR code deployments. We expect that merchant payments will soon outpace person-to-person fund transfers.”

Prateek further added, “We will increasingly observe digital payments get embedded in all forms of commerce, we will also witness the progression from embedded payments to embedded finance. As more and more merchants begin to accept digital payments, it will unlock a significant change in access to credit for small merchants due to the creation of a digital transaction trail.”

To download the report, visit: pulse.phonepe.com

Link to the report- https://www.bcg.com/en-in/publications/2022/future-of-digital-payments-in-india

Bentley Acceleration Initiatives Launches ConstructHelix In India

* New Technology Solutions Group Caters to Specific Needs of the Construction Sector in India by Connecting People, Processes, and Systems to Build Cost and Time Efficiencies

Bentley Acceleration Initiatives, the internal incubator for strategic investments of Bentley Systems (Nasdaq: BSY), the infrastructure engineering software company, today announced the launch of ConstructHelix, a digital construction technology solutions group that caters to the unique and specific needs of the Indian construction sector. The focus of ConstructHelix is to digitalize construction project workflows through its offering of SaaS solutions, enabling a connected data environment with seamless information flow across people and technologies. As the Indian construction industry forays into the era of digitalization, ConstructHelix will deliver automated workflow solutions in a structured approach that will help ensure solutions complement the industry’s existing technology footprint to deliver construction projects on time and under budget.

In April 2021, Bentley Acceleration Initiatives acquired nPulse, an innovative technology product for the Indian construction sector that forms the core offering of the new digital construction technology solutions group. The acquisition focuses on a new direction and vision to build an ecosystem of products to support digital workflows, automating manual processes and disparate technologies. Bentley Acceleration Initiatives named Ashit Gandhi as senior director of ConstructHelix, supported by Santanu Das, chief acceleration officer and senior vice president, Bentley Acceleration Initiatives.

Commenting on the launch of ConstructHelix, Das said, “The construction sector in India is slated to grow in double digits in fiscal year 2022, and that is very promising. There is, therefore, a clear need for technology interventions that will enable this growth in a structured and efficient manner. We realized that rather than adopting a model-centric approach, this geography would be better served with a schedule-centric approach that integrates time and cost. All other information sources are attached to the schedule and, as users evolve their business processes to manage design projects in 3D and manage the projects in a virtual 4D/5D environment, the solution is ready to adapt to their needs.” 

Gandhi said, “We are very excited to launch India’s first connected technology solution for the construction sector, where projects are gradually moving into a digital-first ecosystem. Losses due to cost overruns and project delays run into billions of dollars worldwide. A vital reason is the absence of an integrated projects control solution that can plug this gap. We believe nPulse is that solution. The software provides a connected data environment, where real-time information and insights, predictive analytics, look-ahead metrics, and automation is made available. ConstructHelix will offer transparent, collaborative digital solutions for owners and contractors to achieve specific, measurable goals for project schedules, cash flows, and earned values.” 

About ConstructHelix

ConstructHelix, part of the Bentley Acceleration Initiatives, connects people, processes and technologies required to complete construction projects on time and under budget. nPulse, their flagship solution, helps capital project owners, real estate developers, and contractors reduce project delays by connecting all project information and predictive analytics to provide immersive decision support in a simple-to-use integrated project controls platform. Designed to drive real-time collaboration across multiple functions and organizations that are part of the capital project, the nPulse platform is sector agnostic and is being used by more than 3,000 end-users in more than 250 diverse projects across 25 countries in a variety of construction and critical infrastructure industries. For more information, please visit www.ConstructHelix.com.

About Bentley Acceleration Initiatives 

Bentley Acceleration Initiatives was launched in 2020 by Bentley Systems (Nasdaq: BSY) as part of the BSY Investments group. Their main charter is to accelerate the creation and curation of infrastructure digital twins, and to foster related technologies and innovations. This is accomplished by nurturing new ventures, acquiring and expanding digital integrators, making minority investments through Bentley iTwin Ventures and partnering with other BSY Investment companies like The Cohesive Companies. The group’s portfolio has included Digital Water Works, Digital Construction Works, Virtuosity, OpenTower, ConstructHelix, and Bentley’s Infrastructure IoT. Bentley iTwin Ventures is a $100 million corporate venture capital fund, which co-invests in entrepreneurial companies that are leveraging and expanding the infrastructure digital twins ecosystem. Santanu Das, chief acceleration officer, welcomes queries from potential ecosystem participants at www.BentleyAccelerationInitiatives.com. 

HealthSite.com Concluded Third Edition Of Healthcare Summit – 2022

* The Summit addressed the digital evolution of the healthcare sector

TheHealthSite.com, a one-stop destination for updates on fitness, beauty, diet, yoga, weight training, sexual health, pregnancy, and parenting concluded its third season of a digital summit – The HealthSite.com Summit 2022 - India’s Healthcare Story: Vision 2022.

Opening the summit, Union Health Minister Dr. Mansuk Mandaviya, lauded HealthSite for hosting a gathering of esteemed professionals to discuss strengthening the healthcare sector in India. He said, “To stay aligned with the healthcare needs of the citizens during pandemic, the government is focused towards the total approach not the token approach.  States are preparing themselves for robust physical infrastructure to efficiently utilize the approved funds ECRP 1 and ECRP 2. Under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, India has embarked on digital transformation of healthcare in India.” He also reinforced that the focus is on creation of a longitudinal electronic health record for more than 1.3 billion people of India.

The Covid-19 outbreak led to innovations, the emergence of telehealth, E-ICU, and a changed scenario of Emergency Care where digital solutions, innovations, and reskilling of healthcare workers took a center stage. Dr Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS while extensively talking about equitable healthcare mentioned, “Large part of our population is in rural areas but the percentage of doctors are less than the patients. We need to come up with solutions such as providing incentives to healthcare workers to start working in the rural areas and providing the necessary infrastructure that the rural population needs. Covid has taught us the importance of technology specially in the healthcare sector. Using teleconsultation and telemedicine, E-ICUs, and AI will be a game changer in providing services to the remote areas.” He also reiterated the importance of   Government-led plan to propagate this across the country.

Divided into three sessions of 40 minutes each, Health Summit 2022 addressed the challenges to healthcare in India, what is needed in healthcare to improve the economy, advances in healthcare, innovations, and management, and the rise of AYUSH - its impact on the Indian healthcare scenario. Explaining the healthcare limitations brought by COVID19 crisis and the ways to mend the, loopholes, Dr. K Srinath Reddy, Public Health Foundation of India said, “Unless we have an efficient, equitable, and empathetic healthcare system functioning very reliably even without a public healthcare emergency in the steady state we will not be able to mount a swift strong, strong and sustained surge response when a public health emergency does arise.”

Speaking of the successful event, Shridhar Mishra, CRO-Digital, Zee Media Corporation Limited says, “The pandemic caused the healthcare industry take efforts to make medical support affordable and accessible to all. This summit brought to light the importance and role of such innovation, while also encouraging more such conversations. With this summit we were able to bring these conversations to the mainstream media and for that I’d like to commend our team.”

Speaking of the success of the summit, Puja Sethi, group editor Zee Digital, said, “It is important that we bring together the brightest minds of the sector and provide a platform for dialogue and debate. The panels have brought out important aspects that plague the healthcare system, and we are very proud that our efforts paid off.”

The summit is sponsored by Apollo 24x7; Amazon.in; Samsung Watch; GSK; Bluestar; Sanofi and Neuwoman.

About TheHealthSite: TheHealthSite is a one-stop destination for the update, guides, and opinion pieces on fitness, beauty, diet, yoga, weight training, sexual health, pregnancy, and parenting. The portfolio includes a range of versatile content that combines the best of age-old traditions with the cutting-edge healthcare of today. More than 200 doctors and experts from the health and wellness fields contribute regularly to the website.

Signify Launches EcoLink AeroFlo Silent Ceiling Fans In Indian Market

* With its low noise operation and powerful aerodynamic blades, the fan is the perfect summer companion this season

Signify (Euronext: LIGHT), the world leader in lighting, has launched EcoLink AeroFlo silent ceiling fans in India. The fan features aerodynamically designed blades and a high-performance motor that promises a superior air flow of 240 cu.m/min. The motor features a sturdy design and double ball bearings deliver a superior performance while ensuring low noise.

The blades are made up of high-grade glass filled ABS that are 100% rust-free, ensuring long lasting performance and durability. EcoLink AeroFlo ceiling fans have been EcoLink AeroFlo Silent Ceiling Fan

• Low Noise Operation 

• 3 Colour options - Pearl White, Hazel Brown, Walnut wood

• High gloss premium finish 

• Aerodynamic rust-free blades 

• Blade Sweep: 1250 mm

• Power: 80W 

• Speed: 300 RPM

• Air Delivery: 240 cu.m/min

• Superior motor with double ball bearing 

• 2-year warranty 

exclusively designed for modern Indian homes and feature a new-age integrated design with high gloss premium PU finish. The fans are available in 3 elegant color options (Pearl White, Hazel Brown, Walnut wood), to match your home interiors and enhance the aesthetics of your home.

Commenting on the launch, Sumit Joshi, CEO & Managing Director, Signify (South Asia) said, “Consumers today seek much more than just functionality from ceiling fans. They are looking for superior performance, great aesthetics, high air delivery combined with a low noise operation to suit their evolving tastes. Keeping these consumer insights in mind, we are pleased to introduce our new range of EcoLink AeroFlo silent ceiling fans in India. With their sturdy motor, appealing design, aerodynamic profiled blades and superior airflow, these fans are designed to deliver a great experience to urban consumers.”

The EcoLink AeroFlo silent ceiling fan offers a 2-year warranty and is available across leading small and large format retail stores and e-commerce platforms.

Signify has recently signed on leading Bollywood actor Pankaj Tripathi as the brand ambassador for its EcoLink brand. The company has released a TVC for its EcoLink AeroFlo silent ceiling fans, featuring the actor. Click here to watch the film.

Bangalore-Based Strata Launches First Ever Commercial Real Estate investment App

* Eyes 30% growth in NRI client base by offering robust platform for seamless investing in Indian CRE

In its bid to further democratize commercial real-estate as an asset class for Indians, Strata the country’s leading tech-enabled commercial real estate (CRE) investment platform, announced the launch of its mobile app. The platform will empower investors to seamlessly access and invest in any grade-A CRE asset listed on Strata’s platform and avail end-to-end asset management services instantly through an easy to use mobile app.

Strata has been on a constant pursuit towards make investing in high-yield, Grade-A commercial real estate accessible, transparent, and seamless for all its investors. Built with best-in-class tools the app will enable investors on Strata’s platform to effortlessly manage their investments across commercial properties in the country.

Designed for maximum speed and ease-of-use, the mobile app will enable its users to quickly search, filter, and browse every listing on Strata from the convenience of their smartphone or tablet. It will not only allow investors to evaluate properties but will offer end-to-end asset management services in terms of investing in new properties, exiting the current property and even checking on the updates of upcoming properties among others.

The app will also benefit the NRI audiences, who comprise a significant portion of Strata’s customer base. With the unique advantage of converting their foreign income into lucrative investment options in India, NRIs have been heavy investors in Indian real-estate, wherein the latter comprises for more than 70% of a typical NRI portfolio.

However investment in real-estate requires sound understanding of the industry scenario, property rates, expected growth among other factors. Owing to ambiguity around valuation and asset management, NRIs’ are forced to make investment decisions either on the premise of limited information or through their dependence on local agents whereby they end up being misled. With the launch of their app, Strata aims to engage with NRI investors and Indians working overseas more effectively while enabling them to evaluate, buy and monitor assets on real-time without any hassles and thereby helping them make informed decisions. By means of an accelerated engagement through the app the company is eyeing a 30% growth in its current NRI investor base.   

Commenting on the development, Sudarshan Lodha, Co-founder & CEO, Strata Property Management, said, “We have ceaselessly worked towards making the lucrative asset class of CRE accessible to India like never before and it has just got better with the launch of our all new mobile app. While a new investor on Strata’s platform can kick-start a seamless investment journey by browsing, evaluating and shortlisting feasible assets, our existing investors will be able to avail end-to-end asset management services in an instant and easy manner, thanks to the app.”

“Technology and customer centricity is at the heart of everything we do and with the aid of a mobile-first approach, Strata aims to offer a gamut of competitive services whereby investors are not just able to browse and evaluate assets but will be able to find alternative assets, match the specifications of a particular asset, besides investing and exiting all at the click of a button. The platform will thus create a cohesive customer journey offering superior user interface and an extremely convenient investment experience.”

The app will enable users to

* Browse latest investment opportunities listed by Strata

* Search by location anytime, anywhere to view listings and properties

* Remote investment in one or multiple assets listed

* Share listings with others via text, email, social media, or other apps

* Call or email Strata’s investment manager with one tap for an interesting listing

* Track and manage ongoing investments – portfolio management, monthly rent received, valuation reports, taxation certificate, total AUM etc.

Strata’s mobile app available for Android and iOS devices will thus make it easy for investors to manage their CRE asset portfolio while on the go.

Since its inception in November 2019, Strata has offered a suite of high quality, commercial assets such as office spaces, warehouses, and industrial facilities among others across the country. The company, today has an Asset under Management (AUM) worth 540+ crore, spanning across 2.5 million sq. ft. in cities such as Bengaluru, Hosur, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Jaipur, etc. Strata recently launched its 15th asset and became the first Indian company to offer a consumer retail showroom space under fractional ownership.

In January 2022, Strata became the very first proptech company in the country to have crossed a significant threshold of 500 crores in Assets under Management (AUM).  The company which doubled its AUM from Rs. 240 crore to Rs. 500 crore in just 9 months also witnessed a massive jump of 300% in its investor base crossing 1500+, which comprises more than 30k+ active users. In the calendar year of 2021 Strata added INR 1 crore each day under its AUM, becoming the first and the only company in India of its kind.

The company is eyeing a host of asset classes such as industrial assets, office spaces, warehouses, data centres, hotels, hospitals, retail spaces, among others. The company is also eyeing sale & leaseback deals with large corporations on long-term leases.

Strata envisions to be the largest tech first alternative investment platform in the country for retail investors by enabling them to invest in CRE assets, by democratising assets and offering it on an easy-to-use online platform. Through its tech-enabled platform, Strata empowers retail investors across the globe to invest in specific commercial properties in a particular location of their choice whilst offering excellent yields.

Android :- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.strataprop

Apple :- https://apps.apple.com/in/app/strataprop/id1604744823

About Strata Property Management

Strata is a tech-enabled commercial real estate investment platform that allows investors to own and sell units of pre-leased, Grade-A commercial properties such as office spaces, warehouses, industrial assets, etc. It is funded by marquee investors, Kotak Investment Advisors, Gruhas Proptech, Elevation Capital, Mayfield India, and others.

Sourcing Commercial Real Estate and offering it on an easy-to-use online platform, Strata aims to democratize CRE, making it accessible for a much larger investor base.

With its data driven asset selection and a single window platform to invest in assets across the country Strata brings in transparency, and ease of liquidity to CRE investments. Investors earn superior rental yields and can liquidate the investments whenever required. In a year’s time Strata has funded multiple assets amounting to an AUM of over 500 crore while also managing 80-90 Crores in asset management.

https://strataprop.com/

Medtronic Launches Pipeline Vantage Embolization Device With Shield Technology In India To Treat Brain Aneurysms

* Pipeline Embolization Device (PED) Warranty Program to define the standard of care for flow diversion treatment of brain aneurysms

India Medtronic Private Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT) — a global leader in healthcare technology, today announced the launch of CE marked fourth-generation flow diverter, PipelineTM Vantage with Shield TechnologyTM for endovascular treatment of brain aneurysms. Pipeline™ Vantage with Shield Technology™ is a new flow diverter with enhanced design features to both the delivery system and implant. These features allow physicians to deliver, deploy and treat brain aneurysms, intracranial aneurysms with greater ease and reliability while providing a scaffold that promotes growth of cells in the inner lining of the target blood vessel. 

Cerebral or brain aneurysm is a condition where there is a ballooning or weakening of the inside wall of an artery in brain. As a result of weakening, the artery bulges out and can burst or rupture due to the pressure of the blood flow. Rupture of an aneurysm causes profuse internal bleeding, strokes, and even death. Aneurysm flow diversion is a minimally invasive treatment in which a device known as a neurovascular stent placed in the parent blood vessel of a brain aneurysm may divert blood flow away from the aneurysm. Over time, blood flow into the aneurysm may slow down, eventually ceasing to enter the aneurysm altogether. As the body’s natural healing process works with the flow diversion device, the blood vessel may heal, and the aneurysm may shrink.1-4.

Every year in India, around 76,000 to 200,000 cases of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) are reported to have occurred. Since brain aneurysms are most prevalent between 35 and 60 years of age and about 40% of the ruptures are fatal, a great number of disability adjusted life years are lost.5 Advances in flow diversion over the last 10 years has helped to significantly reduce the rate of aneurysm rupture.6

“Since 2013, we’ve been disrupting aneurysm treatment, advancing the practice and raising the standard of care in India. Medtronic is consistently committed to bringing innovative technologies to India to improve quality of life for patients and ease of doing procedure for surgeons. Our newest PipelineTM Vantage Embolization Device comes with a one-of-its-kind warranty for device efficacy. With this, we hope to boost patient assurance on our offerings while encouraging flow diversion as a form of therapy for aneurysms,” said Rahul Arora, Director of Neurosciences Therapies, Medtronic India.

With the commitment to advance access to healthcare in India, Medtronic is also introducing a first-of-its-kind warranty program called the PED Warranty Program. Through the warranty program, patients treated with Medtronic’s Pipeline Embolization Device (Pipeline™ Flex Embolization Device with Shield Technology™/ Pipeline™ Vantage with Shield Technology™) will receive a warranty coverage.

Flow diversion therapy has lesser chances of reestablishment of blood flow into the occluded aneurysm than other modalities with comparable acute morbidity and mortality rates.7 The Pipeline™ embolization device is the most studied flow diverter worldwide with a proven safety and efficacy profile. 8,9 Medtronic’s fourth-generation PED Pipeline™ Vantage Embolization Device with Shield Technology™ has been designed keeping in mind the strong clinical evidence for flow diverters as a mode of treatment for aneurysms.

About Medtronic

Bold thinking. Bolder actions. We are Medtronic. Medtronic plc, headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is the leading global healthcare technology company that boldly attacks the most challenging health problems facing humanity by searching out and finding solutions. Our Mission — to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life — unites a global team of 90,000+ passionate people across 150 countries. Our technologies and therapies treat 70 health conditions and include cardiac devices, surgical robotics, insulin pumps, surgical tools, patient monitoring systems, and more. Powered by our diverse knowledge, insatiable curiosity, and desire to help all those who need it, we deliver innovative technologies that transform the lives of two people every second, every hour, every day. Expect more from us as we empower insight-driven care, experiences that put people first, and better outcomes for our world. In everything we do, we are engineering the extraordinary. For more information on Medtronic (NYSE:MDT), visit www.Medtronic.com and follow @Medtronic on Twitter and LinkedIn.

RFPIO Organizes Walkathon To Create Mental Health Awareness In Coimbatore

 A Holistic program to create mental health awareness among communities and improve overall well-being

RFPIO, the leading response management platform, has organized a walkathon on the 31st of May at Racecourse, Coimbatore insisting on the importance of overall wellbeing. Mental Health Awareness Month was originally established by the Mental Health America organization and is recognized during the month of May. There were a total of 35 participants in the Walkathon. By arranging the walkathon on the last day of the month, RFPIO aims to widen the attention and create mental health awareness among communities.

Mental Health Awareness Month helps people recognize the ways mental illness impacts their lives, educates people about available services, and highlights ways to advocate. Irrespective of whether or not someone personally suffers from a mental health issue, this initiative will help to eradicate the misconceptions and stigma surrounding mental health issues and increase access to healthcare for those who need it.

Commenting on this initiative, Mr. Ganesh Shankar, CEO & Co-Founder, RFPIO said, “Mental health awareness month has been observed since 1949, and the impacts and the after-effects of the pandemic have accelerated the need for creating awareness about mental wellbeing. RFPIO acknowledges the need for mental health awareness. We launched employee assistance programs offering a range of benefits to our employees starting with a 4-1/2-day work policy with Fridays being flexible to conducting online Yoga sessions for our employees during the challenging times.  By arranging the walkathon, we encouraged people to make this first step to reverse or overcome any mental hurdle they faced in their course of life.”

About RFPIO

RFPIO is the market leader in response management software, trusted by some of the world's smartest companies to support RFP and security questionnaire response, create and manage sales proposals, and resolve inefficiencies rooted in decentralized and inaccessible content and knowledge. The software's robust and bi-directional integrations, along with an open API, allow teams to digitally transform response management processes and to harness the power of the knowledge and content across their teams. RFPIO supports response management for growing organizations of all sizes including Google, Adobe, Atlassian, Microsoft, Tenable, Zoom Video and others. For more information, visit rfpio.com or follow @rfpioinc on Twitter.

Magnifi Joins The Online Video Platform - Brightcove Marketplace

* Integration with the leading video marketplace enables Magnifi to expand its global footprint and offer innovative video technology solutions to a larger audience

Magnifi (previously known as Toch AI) today announced its integration with the leading online video platform Brightcove Inc. (Nasdaq: BCOV). With distinct products revolutionizing how content is refined and consumed, Magnifi expands its global footprint and strengthens its industry position through the Brightcove Marketplace.

“We are delighted to be listed on the Brightcove Marketplace, which gives us the ability to deliver more capabilities and add more value to our joint customer base,” says Magnifi Co-Founder & CEO Vinayak Shrivastav. “We look forward to networking with a broad audience and showcasing our capabilities that help enterprises and individuals create impact and tell immersive stories across all media genres.”

Brightcove creates the world’s most reliable, scalable, and secure video technology solutions platform to help customers harness the incredible power of video while enabling businesses to discover, sell, engage and monetize video content effectively. The Brightcove Marketplace is where customers go, whether they’re looking to add specific capabilities to their Brightcove platform or just browsing for new ideas.

“Now, more than ever, organizations need to deliver compelling content to their viewers to increase engagement and views across platforms,” said Brightcove Vice President of Technology Partners and Integrations, Rajan Shah. “With Magnifi, Brightcove customers can easily clip content using AI to create videos to share on social media and web pages. The Magnifi integration provides our customers with another avenue to gain more value from their video content.”

Magnifi uses state-of-the-art technology that helps to process video content automatically and instantly, including meta-tagging, identifying key moments, and auto-producing social-ready content assets. Recently, Magnifi partnered with USA Cricket to enable fans to catch all the missed action and relive their best moments from the Dafabet USA vs. Ireland Men’s International Series 2021.

For more information: visit: https://magnifi.ai

About Magnifi (formerly Toch AI):

Magnifi – previously known as Toch AI – has found an extremely strong product-market fit in serving enterprises across numerous industries - OTT players, broadcasters, sports clubs and leagues, marketing agencies, e-gaming platforms, schools, colleges, and more. Magnifi is building the next-generation video editing ecosystem addressing a broad range of use cases in the post-production process. The company started its journey by generating instant key moments and auto short-sized clips leveraging computer vision and AI capabilities, the sliver in which it is the current tech leader. Magnifi today has offices in the U.S., Europe, Israel, and India and is expanding to Singapore and the Middle East by the end of this year.

About Brightcove

Brightcove creates the world’s most reliable, scalable, and secure video technology solutions to build a greater connection between companies and their audiences, no matter where they are or on which devices they consume content. In more than 80 countries, Brightcove’s intelligent video platform enables businesses to sell to customers more effectively, media leaders to stream and monetize content more reliably, and every organization to communicate with team members more powerfully. With two Technology and Engineering Emmy® Awards for innovation, uptime that consistently leads the industry, and unmatched scalability, we continuously push the boundaries of what video can do. Follow Brightcove on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Visit www.brightcove.com. Brightcove. Video that means business™.